Golf-ball.



No. 7n|,74o. Patented nm'e s; Ism. Eg KEMPSHALL. aoLr BALL.

(Application lnd Apr. 2 9, 1902.)

I (lo Model.)

A ,Ej/hisrly THE NCIRRS PETERS CO PNOTQLXTHQ WASHINGTON D C UNITED". STATESV ELA'ZER KEMPSHALL, or BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMPSIIALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lPatent No. 701,740, dated June 3, 1902.

VSerial l\To.105,127l (No model.)

This invention relates to playing-balls; and' its principal object is to provide for the construction at low cost'of a ball having -quali-v ties which render it suitable for the game of golf.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view, partly in section, of a ball made in accordance .with my present improvements. Fig. 2 shows the preferred manner of combining a hard center piece and a rubber shell or envelop. Fig. 3 illustrates the final stage in the preferred method of producing the ball.

In the several views`similar parts are designated by similar characters of reference.

For the center piece or core l ofthe ball I prefer to use springy material-such, for instance, as gutta-percha-which is preferably introduced in a Huid condition Withi'na seamless soft-rubber shell 2, as bymean's of a funnel 3, inserted through aperforation 4in said shell. The quantity of gutta-percha intro'- duced is,hoWever, insufficient to fill the cavity 5 of the shell, and hence forms an undersized core therein. Upon withdrawing the funnel the hole 4 maybe loosely filledby rubber or other material 6. Upon the ball thus formed I place hemisphericalsegments 7 and 8 of.-

plastic material-such as gutta-percha or celluloid, preferably the former-compressing and welding the same together by means of heating-dies 9 and lO, thereby forming a substantial shell which holds the rubber sphere in a state of compression. Owing to the compressing action of the dies the rubber sphere is partially collapsed or reduced in diameter and caused to close down tightly upon the core l, as at 2, Fig. 1, at which ligure the original size of said sphere is indicated by dotted lines at 2b and 5b. l In other words, the rubber sphere in its original condition is considerably oversize, and by action'of the dies the gutta-percha cups or hemispheres 7 and 8 are forced together over said sphere not only to weld said cups together, but also to reduce rthe rubber sphere in bulk. Preferably the ball is 'completed before the gutta-percha l becomes solidified, so that it may readily assume a spherical form during the closing action of the dies. It will be understood that the rubber sphere is both compressed and ra- Adially distorted, andhence put into an abnormal condition throughout, Whereby it impartsto the ball phenomenal flying power, due toits increased resiliency or activity and its great expansive tendency, which serves instantly to restore the spherical shape of the gutta-percha shell When the latter is distorted by a blow. Thus it will be seen that all of the parts of the ball are brought into proper relation, both as to size and as to tense or abnormal condition, by reason of the general compression of the entire article in the dies. It is not essential in all cases that a hard core be employed nor one that is solid, and it is practicable to combine either a seamless or a segmental rubber .envelop with a core in other waysand to make other changesin the ballwithin the scope of my presentimprovements. n

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprising a hard shell, a center piece, and an intermediate oversize soft-rubber shell partially collapsed and compressed between said shell and said center piece.

'2. A playing-ball comprising a hard, Wearresisting cover, a distorted shell of soft rubber held under compression thereby,said shell being distorted throughoutin radial directions, and a center piece Within said shell.

3. A playing-ball comprising a shell of plastic material, anIoversize soft-rubber seamless shell partially collapsed and confined underl compression Within said plastic shell, and an undersize springy center piece filling said collapsed rubber shell.

4. A playing-ball comprising a shell consisting of Welded segments of gutta-percha; an oversize soft-rubber shell confinedunder compression within said gutta-percha shell; and a center piece of hard materialwithin said soft-rubber shell.

5. A playing-ball comprising acenter piece of plastic material; a rubber shell thereon;

and a cover of hard, Wear-resisting material IOO center piece of gutta-percha; a seamless rnbber shell thereon; and a cover of gutta-percha upon said shell; the latter being in a state of partial collapse and being held under compression by said cover.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL.

Witnesses:

B. C. STICKNEY, JOHN O. SEIFERT. 

